A Drink From Hermione's Goblet
by Hermione Weasley10
Summary: The middle of Goblet of Fire from Hermione's POV. My very first fic- hope you like it!
1. News and Nerves

A DRINK FROM HERMIONE'S GOBLET 

My first fic! The middle of GOF from Hermione's Point of View. I own nothing- Harry Potter is all JKR's brilliance. Enjoy!   
Next Chapter >> 

Chapter One: News and Nerves 

As soon as Hermione heard it, she thought she had misunderstood. But there was no mistaking the meaning of the happy giggles from Parvati and Lavender or the revolted looks on Ron and Harry's faces. There _was_ going to be a school ball, a Yule Ball, over the Christmas holidays. Hermione had never been to a ball before, but she thought it sounded like good fun. The only problem was... who would she go with? Deep down, Hermione knew who she wanted to ask her, but admitting it to herself, let alone admitting it to Ron, would be too difficult. At least for now. 

After Professor McGonagall finished telling them about the event, the bell rang. "Potter- a word, if you please." McGonagall called at the trio's retreating backs. Harry made a face at Ron and shuffled up to the Professor's desk. Ron and Hermione waited in the hallway for him. 

Ron, despite his less than enthusiastic response to the announcement, seemed to be thinking along the lines of Hermione. "Great. Now I've gotta go and find a girl and ask her to the ball just so we can 'socialize with out foreign guests.' Can't wait!" he said sarcastically. 

"Ron!" Hermione said irritably. "Don't be rude." 

"I'm not!" Ron protested. "It's just that I bet every girl in this damn school would love to go with someone like prettyboy Cedric Diggory-" 

"Ron!" Hermione said again. 

"-or even Harry, but I'm sure going to have a time getting a date for the ball..." Then Ron's ears turned pink, as though he felt he'd said too much. 

_You have no idea, Ron,_ Hermione thought. _No idea..._

But suddenly Harry came out of the classroom looking very glum indeeed, so she didn't have a chance to reply. Hermione began to wonder if the whole ball was going to be more trouble than it was worth. 

*** 

All week, Hermione watched Ron and Harry become more and more nervous. She privately felt it was hilarious watching the two of them squirm, but she tried to be supportive and helpful. However, her nerves were tested in the common room one day after Fred had demonstrated to Ron and Harry how to ask a girl to the ball. 

"Fred's right," said Ron, after the twins left to go send an owl. "We _should_ get a move on, you know... ask someone." Hermione, behind a book in the armchair across from Ron, felt her heart start beating faster in hope. Ron continued, "We don't want to end up with a pair of trolls." 

Hermione's heart slowed back down again, and then she realized exactly what Ron had just said. "A pair of... _what_, excuse me?" 

Ron didn't seem to notice Hermione's reaction to his words. He shrugged. "Well- you know. I'd rather go alone than with- with Eloise Midgen, say." Hermione felt her blood boiling. 

"He acne's loads better lately- and she's really nice!" 

"Her nose is off- center," Ron replied, barely looking up. Hermione couldn't believe her ears. 

"Oh, I see," she snapped. "So basically, you're going to take the best-looking girl who'll have you, even if she's completely horrible?" She stared at Ron, as if daring him to answer. 

"Er- yeah, that sounds a bit right," he replied. Ron's shallow attitude towards the whole thing disgusted Hermione horribly, but deep down inside her, she felt her heart sinking. If this was ture, what Ron was saying, she'd never have a chance with him. Sure, Hermione wasn't bad-looking, but she had never considered herself pretty. 

"I'm going to bed," Hermione said angrily, and stomped off to the dormatories. _He hasn't even noticed my new teeth yet,_ Hermione thought sadly. _How would he ever think I'm beautiful?_


	2. The Unexpected Invite

A DRINK FROM HERMIONE'S GOBLET 

My first fic! The middle of GOF from Hermione's Point of View. I own nothing- Harry Potter is all JKR's brilliance. Enjoy!   
Next Chapter >> 

Chapter Two: The Unexpected Invite 

Hermione burst into the common room and rushed up to the first person she knew she could share this information with. Dragging Ginny Weasley up to the Fourth Year girls' dormatory, Hermione whispered, "You will not _believe_ who just asked me to the Yule Ball." 

Out of breath and slamming the door behind her, Hermione sat down on her four- poster and faced Ginny, who had a look of shock and excitement on her face. 

"Oh, who?" Ginny inquired interestedly. Hermione leaned forward slightly. 

"Viktor Krum," she breathed. 

"What! Really?" Hermione nodded. "Oh, Hermione this is wonderful! You, going to the ball of the year with a famous Quidditch player! Wait, you did say yes, didn't you?" Ginny studied Hermione's face intently, waiting for an answer. 

After a pause, Hermione confessed, "Not yet. I just wanted to give... _him_ a chance." Hermione had never told Ginny about her newly discovered feelings for Ron, but she knew that Ginny has suspected them all along. And she was right. 

"Oh, Hermione, don't wait too long for my brother. I mean, he's so immature, he doesn't even realize he likes you yet." 

This news that Ron may have the same feelings for her that Hermione had for him made her smile, but her smiled faded quckly as she suddenly became businesslike. 

"Right, then if Ron doesn't say anything by tomorrow, I'm accepting..." Hermione looked hopeful. "I just wonder..." 

Ginny broke the silence with a teasing grin. "So... tell me the details!" 

*** 

Hermione walked into the common room two days later after a meeting with Viktor in the library during dinner. She tried to convince herself that she was lucky to be going with such a boy to the ball- or rather, such a _man_, he was nearly out of school- even if she wasn't attending with Ron. Speaking of Ron... 

"Why weren't you two at dinner?" she said, sitting down next to Ginny in an empty armchair. Ginny was looking at Ron and Harry, who were laughing hystarically, in a very annoyed sort of way. 

"Because- oh shut up laughing, you two- because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" she answered for them. The boys immediatly followed Ginny's advice and fell quiet. 

"Thanks a bunch, Ginny," Ron said sourly. 

Hermione felt a bit queasy but managed to hide her hurt. "All the good ones taken, Ron?" she said. "Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she?" Hermione still took offence to Ron's comment earlier about only asking good-looking girls to the ball. "Well," she continued, "I'm sure you'll find someone _somewhere_ who'll have you." 

But instead of getting angry again as Hermione expected, Ron looked at Hermione as though he had just thought of something brilliant. "Hermione, Neville's right- you _are_ a girl..." 

Hermione was the one becoming angry. "Oh, well spotted," she said, trying to contain herself. 

"Well- you can come with one of us!" Hermione felt a sudden urge to slap Ron across the face. Not only was he implying he'd never thought of her as a _girl_ before, he was asking her as a last resort! 

"No, I can't," Hermione replied icily 

"Oh come on..." and Ron continued. Hermione was hardly hearing him though. She could feel tears coming and her frustration was mounting. She insisted she simply could not go because she already had a date. Ron wouldn't hear of it. "Just because it's taken _you_ three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!" 

Ron didn't seem to notice her anger. Disregarding Hermione's protests, he wouldn't believe she was going with someone else. Hermione ran upstairs, flung herself onto her bed, and sobbed. _Why_ couldn't Ron see how degrading he was? And even if he'd asked more politely, Hermione couldn't have accepted... she had promised to go with Viktor. Why, oh why did Ron have to be so thick? 


	3. The Yule Ball

centerA DRINK FROM HERMIONE'S GOBLET  
pMy first fic! The middle of GOF from Hermione's Point of View. I own nothing- Harry Potter is all JKR's brilliance. Plus the few lyrics I've used in Hermione's talk with Harry is from the song "He's Everything You Want" by Vertical Horizon. Enjoy!  
pChapter Three: The Yule Ball/center  
p"Hermy-own!" Viktor greeted Hermione in his deep voice with a smile. "You look beautiful." And she did. Hermione had spent three hours wrestling her bushy hair into an elegant bun, applying a hint of makeup, and changing into dress robes of the loveliest shade of periwinkle blue.  
p"Thank you Viktor," Hermione said, taking the arm he offered to her. They had met on the steps outside, and entered the Great Hall together. Enjoying the looks of astonishment on everyone's faces as she walked into the beautiful Hall, Hermione scanned the crowd for Ron. Finally spotting him, her heart sunk as she realized he didn't even notice her at all. She noted that he had entered with Parvati Patil's twin sister, and felt a tad bit of something that might have been jealousy. Shaking Ron out of her mind, Hermione danced with Krum to open the ball. Viktor was a wondeful dancer.  
pAll through the night, though she was having a fabulous time, something tall and red-haired nagged the back of her brain every time she glanced his way. Scowling, Ron looked as though he was having to opposite of fun. Padma had abandoned him and he had already accused Hermione of "faternizing with the enemy." Hermione tried not to let his words sting her as she had a butterbear at a small table by the door with Viktor.  
p"Vot is wrong, Herm-oh-ninny?" Viktor was gazing at the girl as though he'd never seen anything like he before.  
p"Oh, it's nothing, Viktor... but maybe it's time I get up to bed. I'm feeling a bit tired." Hermione wasn't feeling the slightest bit sleepy, but she knew that if she didn't talk to Ron and right things soon, she would let her imaginiation get the best of her and read too much into his caustic words.  
p"May I valk you inside?" Viktor offered. Hermione nodded kindly, wondering how she would possibly appraoch Ron.  
p***  
pHermione entered the portrait hole to find Ron waiting for her, with a glare on his face, in front of the roaring fire.   
p"Have a nice time with /i?" he snarled.  
pHermione knew she would never get through to him. The only useful words she could find in her head were, "Don't call him that!"  
p"Why back so late? Been cozying up in a bush outside?" Ron seemed beyond all reason.  
pHermione's face turned redder than Ron's hair. "You know perfectly well I would never-"  
p"Or did he ask you to help him with something- the egg, maybe?"  
p"Ron! I already told you-"  
p"I don't know /i you came to the ball with /i, he's only trouble-" Ron was standing now, also red in the face. Neither of the two noticed Harry enter the room.  
p"Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?" Hermione screamed.  
p"Oh yeah?" Ron screamed back at her. "What's that?"  
p"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!" Hermione had had enough. Her face was so angry, no one but Harry noticed the tears strewn upon it. She stormed upstairs, leaving Ron thunderstruck.  
p"Well- that just proves- completely missed the point-" Ron seemed to be at such a loss for words that Harry almost laughed. Harry, of course, knew exactly what was going on, even if Ron didn't have the slightest clue.  
p***  
pHermione was the only one up in her dormatory, the other girls most likely still with their dates. Even if Lavender and Parvati and the others were there, Hermione wouldn't have cared, she simply cried and cried until there were no tears left in her body. Well, she was through. If Ron didn't want her, then fine. She wasn't to be had. She was sick of secretly loving him. She was done with his jealousy and immature games...   
pIt was a knock on the door that brought Hermione back down to earth. She frowned, wondering who it could be.  
p"Come in!" Hermione quickly wiped her tears away. The knob turned, and in walked... "Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "What are you doing up here?"  
p"Um, I was wondering if you'd like to talk or something..." Harry looked quite uncomfortable, but he was earnest in his offer.  
p"Oh Harry," Hermione said miserably. "You know what? Krum's everything a girl could want, everything I need! He's everything inside me that I wish I could be... I mean, he slayed a /i, didn't he? Viktor says all the right things at just the right times... but he means /i to me, other than a friend, and I don't know why..."  
pA grin slid onto Harry's face. "Oh, I know why!" he said mischieveiously.  
pWhatever Hermione expected him to say, it wasn't that. "What!?" she exclaimed, turning a bit red.  
p"Oh, it's because of Ron. Ron is everything you want, everything you need! /i everything inside you that you wish you could be. Not that you should be like Ron, that is. One is enough..." Hermione giggled. "Anyway, just because he says all the wrong things at exactly the wrong times, doesn't mean that he doesn't mean anything to you. He means everything to you... doesn't he?" Harry whispered this last part, seeing that he was exactly right.  
p"Well..." Hermione didn't know what to say.  
p"You mean a lot to Ron as well. He just doesn't know it yet," Harry said wisely. "Don't be /i upset with him, okay?" And with that and a wave goodnight, Harry left the room, leaving Hermione to her very confused thoughts. 


	4. The Aftermath

A DRINK FROM HERMIONE'S GOBLET 

My first fic! The middle of GOF from Hermione's Point of View. I own nothing- Harry Potter is all JKR's brilliance. Enjoy!   


Chapter Four: The Aftermath 

Hermione and Ron both woke up before Harry on Boxing Day. The common room was deserted, perhaps becuase everyone was too tired from last night's events to wake up before noon. Hermione considered running back upstairs at the sight of him, but Ron, surprisingly, managed to save possibly their whole friendship. 

"Um- wait, Hermione. I, uh... well I mean I just-" 

"Yeah, forget it." Hermione gave a small smile, and sat down on an armchair to open up the book in her hands. She had decided to make things all right as soon as she could; she and Ron didn't need to be fighting the rest of the year. "Me too," she added, to show Ron she felt the same way. Ron nodded uncertainly, and after a bit of hesitation, turned and went back upstairs. 

*** 

For the remainder of the year, Ron and Hermione managed to be civil to each other, as you may know. But just as they were leaving the school year behind, arriving at King's Cross again, Hermione did something that caused Ron to break out in jealousy once again. 

Hermione felt awful about the year's events, and everything Harry suffered through. Now it would be made worse by his awful uncle, and Hermione decided to do something that may let him know she would be there if he needed support. "Bye, Harry!" Hermione said, kissing him on the cheek. 

Harry grinned and waved good-bye, but when Hermione turned around, she came face-to-face with Ron, looking down on her, seeming a bit upset. 

"What was that for?" he asked, as though trying to hold back another rage of anger. 

Hermione's heart suddenly went out to Ron. He had so much to put up with- Harry's glory and dispair, his feelings for Hermione- that he didn't know how to handle. Maybe his actions and words weren't as thoughtless and immature as she had thought. 

"Well, Ron, Harry... well he just... Ron, I was just trying to be supportive! You know as well as anyone else what he's been through this year..." Hermione looked up at Ron, who nodded sadly. His energy to fight seemed to leave him, and he looked quite weary. 

Suddenly, without realizing what she was doing, Hermione stood on tiptoe, reached up and gave Ron a hug. He was quite surprised, but when Hermione pulled away he bent down and kissed her gently, but quickly, on her lips. With a blush, a smile, and a little wave, Ron went to join his family (including the twins, who looked ready to burst out laughing), and this time, left Hermione as the surprised one. 


	5. Author's Note

Hey everyone! Thanks so much to the wonderful people who have reviewed! I think I will continue with a sequel, to tell what happens over the summer. I will post it ASAP, look out for it! Oh, and I apologize for the screwed up chapter three- it won't let me fix it! lol Hopefully it's readable. Anyway, thanks again and I hope to continue soon! 


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